


A Mother Knows

by insertfandomname



Series: Mama Meechum [1]
Category: House of Cards (US TV)
Genre: Gen, Mother-Son Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-18
Updated: 2016-03-18
Packaged: 2018-05-27 12:30:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,687
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6284635
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/insertfandomname/pseuds/insertfandomname
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's been 53 years. She doesn't remember a lot of details. She was barely ten. What she remembers is that it changed the country and the life of all Americans. This time it changes the presidential race and her family's life.</p><p>or</p><p>Edward Meechum through his mother's POV</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Mother Knows

Growing up with three older brothers Betty had some reservations about having a son. To be fair she wasn't exactly looking forward to it when the doctor told them. After her daughter turned out to be a tomboy she could only imagine what kind of trouble a boy would bring into their lives. More broken windows, more scrapped knees and even more noise. The noise that children fabricate. Unbelievable.

It's soon after Eddie's birth that she regrets wishing for a quiet child. Even Larry is worried. Larry who is probably the calmest parent in Connecticut. After being confronted by a horde of angry parents about their menace of a daughter he just shrugged. For him it was a sign of her creativity and leadership qualities that she managed to convince half her grade to eat soap so they could breath bubbles.

They were so used to a noisy child that the silence was deafening. He barely cried. At night they took turns staying at his crib making sure he was still breathing. By day they visited every pediatrician in the area. Everyone of them declared Eddie to be a healthy little man. Some of them liked to throw in a dig about overprotective and paranoid parents.

It didn't change much over the first few years but they got used to it. He doesn't wail when he gets hurt or throws tantrums. He has an adorable pout when things don't go his way and sends his sister to start a riot. Betty isn't sure how he does it since he refuses to speak. First the other parents tried to be subtle and Larry and her just ignored it. It wasn't until Johnson came to their house last week that she started worrying again. The nerve he has to flat-out tell them that Eddie shouldn't be around the other kindergarten kids in case his stupidity is contagious. She knows he's not stupid but she also knows that he should have been talking for a while.

“Mommy,” She nearly drops the plate she's washing. “Can I have some juice?”

She doesn't want to make a big deal out of it, so she slowly turns around while drying her hands. “Of course, sweetheart.”

Sitting down at the table she hands him a glass of orange juice. “Do you want a sandwich with that?”

He shakes his head. Betty hopes this wasn't both the beginning and the end of their vocal interaction.

“I don't wanna leave school.”

“You don't have to.” Her job would be so much easier if her students liked going to school as much as her son. Hopefully it stays that way. “And if someone says you have to, you come straight to daddy or me.”

“Okay.” He pushes the empty glass towards her and resumes his drawing.

“I really like talking to you. Do you think we can do it more often?”

Frowning he contemplates for so long that she fears she overstepped. Finally he nods.

~~~~~~~~~~~

“Jason hasn't been around for a while.” She's not being very subtle. However Larry hasn't come up with a better idea to breach the subject and barely manages to hide his snort. So he really shouldn't judge.

Like any good teenager Eddie just shrugs. Sometimes she is amazed by her self-control. Even thought puberty hit her children in a major way she didn't consider a career change. She threatens it twice a week but everybody knows she doesn't actually mean it.

“Did you guys have a fight?”

It would be the first one. They were inseparable since primary school and the way she sees it they suddenly stopped speaking to each other. He shakes his head. That doesn't help her much in figuring out the issue. Larry keeps saying it's probably because of a girl. “They're at that age, Betty.” Somehow she doubts it.

“Are you still going to the movies on Saturday?”

“Probably not,” he sighs scowling at mashed potatoes.

After giving her husband a smug look she continues her inquiry. There he was saying she couldn't make Eddie talk about it. “That's too bad. I know you were looking forward to that Batman movie.” In case she didn't misinterpret the comics all over his bedroom floor and the big red circle on the kitchen calendar.

“Maybe some other day.”

Gladly she has some practice in tearing information out of him. Not that him being so closed off doesn't annoy her at times. “Did something else come up?”

“Yeah, Amy did.” That was quite an eye rolling. “They have other plans. May I go to my room now?”

Since he obviously isn't going to finish his dinner she sends him on his way.

“I told you it's about a girl.”

It is, but not the way Larry thinks. Over the years Betty witnessed a lot of teenage drama. It doesn't look like they like the same girl. It's more likely that Eddie is mad that Jason is spending less time with him because of the girl.

“You're right.” Let him enjoy his glory, but she knows better.

~~~~~~~~~~~

They couldn't be more different. Her daughter gives commands and makes decisions. Her son usually follows and takes things as they come. There were times that Betty wasn't very happy about their personalities. A less stubborn daughter and a more independent son. That's what she often wished for.

“I'm going to join the Marines.”

When it became clear that he didn't want to join because of friends but of his own accord she regretted ever wanting him to change. It wasn't peer pressure and neither her nor Larry's family had any ties to the army so she had no idea how he came up with that plan for his future. She didn't let him go before he explained himself. It wasn't until his reluctant admission of “I just don't know what else to do.” that she let it go and supported him. Not that she ever came around to like it.

The two tours Eddie spent overseas were the worst years of her life. The constant worrying about him aged her about 20 years. Especially after 9/11. Random people telling her that she must be so proud didn't help much. More than once she had to stop herself from snapping at them. Sure he's brave and he seemed to like the discipline and routine but it didn't change the fact that he was constantly in danger.

When it became clear that he was finally coming home Betty began making plans for the future. She read so many books and talked to so many people about PTSD and survivor's guilt and all the other thinks soldiers could suffer from that she was skeptical that he seemed so well adjusted and even happy. It was a shock when he even reached out to some of his friends from high school who stayed in town. The way other veterans talked about having nothing in common with their past friends which caused quite some pain it was even more surprising it didn't stop at one meeting. At least he didn't start dating Jenny again.

“Just be happy that it didn't mess him up.” Larry her voice of reason tries to calm her down.

It is about a week before he's leaving for D.C. to join the Police Force there that she gets a glimpse that everything isn't as good as he made them believe.

“What are you doing?” Besides nearly giving her an heart attack.

“Nothing.” In the middle of the night. In the kitchen. In the dark.

She might as well still get the water she came down for. “Are you okay?”

“Sure.” He clenches his hands around the glass she handed him. “Just a nightmare.”

“Does it happen often? That you have a nightmare and come here.”

First he just shrugs but then he answers. “Sometimes.”

It's just like Eddie to keep it all to himself.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Eddie always had a terrible taste in women. And men for that matter. Not that he ever told her about the latter. She doesn't know which one applies more in this case. First she thought it was admiration and gratitude for the new opportunity. However the longer he's following them around the more she wonders.

Betty doesn't know many Secret Service Agents but she knows her son. It probably could have been worse. Probably. She tried to think of some but it is difficult to beat the President and the First Lady.

“I hope you don't expect me to vote for him.” They seem nice enough but those Underwoods just have something that doesn't seem right to her.

He takes it with humor and laughs. “I know Dunbar is more your candidate.”

“When are you coming home.”

“After the Primaries. But just a couple of days.”

Good thing he doesn't see her rolling her eyes through the phone. “I know, I know. The country needs you.”

~~~~~~~~~~~

It's been 53 years. She doesn't remember a lot of details. She was barely ten. What she remembers is that it changed the country and the life of all Americans. This time it changes the presidential race and her family's life.

Matt is trying to talk her into giving him a better grade. Like that's going to happen. It is always astonishing what her students come up with. Even after more than thirty-five years of teaching there are always new arguments. Sometimes there are even good ones. Needing a better grade to play the next game is not one of those.

Suddenly she knows something happened. She never believed the stories about those exceptional maternal bonds. The news start coming in. First slowly. Not all of them are interested in it yet. Only a couple of them are able to vote. The two that are always on their phones quickly spread the news. It can't be more than a minute but suddenly all happenes at once. The whispering ends with the class president raising her hand. The phone in her bag starts vibrating. The principal is knocking at the classroom door.

President Underwood was shot. And where the President goes Eddie goes.

**Author's Note:**

> Not beta-read.
> 
> You can find me on Tumblr: [insertfandomname](http://insertfandomname.tumblr.com/)


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